Tirukural/Chapter 13
Kural-121
Control of self does man conduct to bliss th' immortals share;
Indulgence leads to deepest night, and leaves him there.
Self-control will place (a man) among the Gods; the want of it will drive (him) into the thickest darkness (of hell).
Kural-122
Guard thou as wealth the power of self-control;
Than this no greater gain to living soul!
Let self-control be guarded as a treasure; there is no greater source of good for man than that.
Kural-123
If versed in wisdom's lore by virtue's law you self restrain.
Your self-repression known will yield you glory's gain.
Knowing that self-control is knowledge, if a man should control himself, in the prescribed course, such self-control will bring him distinction among the wise.
Kural-124
In his station, all unswerving, if man self subdue,
Greater he than mountain proudly rising to the view.
More lofty than a mountain will be the greatness of that man who without swerving from his domestic state, controls himself.
Kural-125
To all humility is goodly grace; but chief to them
With fortune blessed, -'tis fortune's diadem.
Humility is good in all; but especially in the rich it is (the excellence of) higher riches.
Kural-126
Like tortoise, who the five restrains
In one, through seven world bliss obtains.
Should one throughout a single birth, like a tortoise keep in his five senses, the fruit of it will prove a safe-guard to him throughout the seven-fold births.
Kural-127
Whate'er they fail to guard, o'er lips men guard should keep;
If not, through fault of tongue, they bitter tears shall weep.
Whatever besides you leave unguarded, guard your tongue; otherwise errors of speech and the consequent misery will ensue.
Kural-128
Though some small gain of good it seem to bring,
The evil word is parent still of evil thing.
If a man's speech be productive of a single evil, all the good by him will be turned into evil.
Kural-129
In flesh by fire inflamed, nature may thoroughly heal the sore;
In soul by tongue inflamed, the ulcer healeth never more.
The wound which has been burnt in by fire may heal, but a wound burnt in by the tongue will never heal.
Kural-130
Who learns restraint, and guards his soul from wrath,
Virtue, a timely aid, attends his path.
Virtue, seeking for an opportunity, will come into the path of that man who, possessed of learning and self-control, guards himself against anger.